


Touch of Blue

by Limitless_Musings



Series: Touch of Color [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Minor Violence, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 23:13:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limitless_Musings/pseuds/Limitless_Musings





	1. Coffee Shop Talk

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Summary:_ Relationships were like colors. Each one as unique and vibrant as the people themselves.

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening:_ Weak by AJR

_Dedicated to YoursAlways_

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part I** : Coffee Shop Talk

Oikawa sat back in the bar stool seat. He'd taken a spot closest to the window, and more importantly, the nearest to the most prized outlet in the entire café. Not only was there a miniscule view of the campus outside, but he had the right position to be able to keep his laptop charged while he finished his studies this semester's mid-terms. Truthfully, he'd rather be practicing volleyball but with his scholarship came the requirement that he meet several GPA expectations in his courses. His eyes narrowed. If he was anything, then it was _detailed_ about all the small things. His light disposition often threw people through the loop once he got serious, but he was not a slacker in any regard. He'd ace his all his classes this semester _and_ outshine the rest on the court. A light smirk tugged at his lips. As it was always meant to be.

"Excuse me," A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Oikawa cocked his head over his shoulder to find another student close to his age. She had a binder tucked under her arm and a small pack slung over her shoulder. Her brows creased with concern as azure eyes landed on the outlet he was currently using. "May I sit next to you? The other spots are taken." As if drawn by her observation, he looked through the rest of the shop and realized that she had indeed been correct. Several groups of people sat hunched around every outlet available. They'd all had their computers out and textbooks strewn over the tables. Loud conversations and laughter floated through the air yet surprisingly only the single seat beside his own remained empty from other fellow students. Except for now.

His smile became something more flirtatious, "Of course. I wouldn't mind sharing my space with a person as cute as you." The light flush of her cheeks told him that he'd hit his mark. Even if he didn't quite have the time to start dating again, he still enjoyed having his ego stroked by the opposite sex every now and then. The young man propped his elbow on the table's surface and leaned his cheek against the back of his hand. She shook her head, a small laugh falling from her lips. The sound was nearly as cute as the girl herself. Just for a second, he wondered if she were single. Probably not.

"I appreciate the flattery but I'm just here to study." She gestured towards her pack. "I have mid-terms coming up and I still have to get ahead, if you know what I mean." Oikawa pushed his own textbook to the side, long forgotten in favor of this new entertaining situation currently unfolding. She took the last available chair and set up next to him. He kept his eyes on her focused expression. She looked to be the studious type given the high ponytail, form-fitting dark colored tee shirt and mid-thigh length skirt she wore. No makeup or anything 'extra' besides the usual feminine charm that some women seemed to exude without a problem. This one apparently had that charm in spades.

"My, quite the flirt. I'm sure you had a legion of fangirls following after your every step back in high school." She teased him, her lips pulling into a small smile as well. "Higurashi Kagome, by the way. Thanks for letting me crashing into your space." Cute, quick witted _and_ a sense of humor? Yeah, this girl _had_ to be taken. There was no way she was single at this point.

"Oikawa Toru and you're not too far off from the truth." He closed his eyes as fond memories of his younger days filled his mind. Although Iwaizumi likely would've tried to smack him by now. He paused his train of thought before it could shuffle further down that dark and depressing path.

"That doesn't surprise me." She withdrew her textbook and laptop, setting to work almost straight away. Oikawa took a peek at the material she was studying. His eyes widened before he uncurled an index finger to gesture towards her book.

"Are you in Professor Sawa's course?" It was pretty obvious by the title. No other teacher assigned that book besides that crazy old coot. It was fundamentally rejected on most academic levels, but the instructor had insisted on it to emphasize the difference of quality between a _true_ textbook and one worth its grain of salt. Therefore, the idiot had managed to double his book fees over the course of the semester that he had to pay out of pocket. His poor wallet was still feeing rather empty after being thoroughly wiped out at the beginning.

Kagome quirked a brow, "Yeah. You get stuck with this nightmare as well?" She pushed the object towards him. A small laugh fell from his mouth as he showed her his.

"That's what I'm studying for right now." Lowering his voice, he did his best impersonation of the elderly teacher. " _In order to succeed you must first understand what you're reading. Your mid-term will determine your final grade. Study well_." It was a horrible impersonation. Complete with a gravelly tone of voice, a falsely high-pitch meant to imitate a female and a slight accent. It was truly horrid but Kagome, he remembered her name, laughed anyways.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I'm in the early course on Wednesdays. It's _horrible_!" She dramatically threw her arms up in the air to emphasize her frustration. "I thought we were supposed to be learning about different literary periods, but I guess this is more or less just a fluff course meant to fill the school's roster."

His laughter grew louder, "We're on the same page!" Admittedly that pun was not intended but it served a purpose all the same. The young woman tilted her screen towards him.

"Feel like helping a fellow classmate out?" She gestured towards the computer where several notes had been typed neatly with numerical bullets and small commentary off to the side. She was definitely dedicated. Even his notes paled in comparison to what she'd done.

"Only if you give me your number." He just screwed up hadn't he? The line slipped out before he could stop it. Now the relaxed atmosphere grew tense. His mouth pursed into a tight line from nervousness. Where was Iwaizumi when he needed him? Oikawa closed down the thought a second time.

Kagome blinked, then did the unthinkable. She withdrew her phone from her pocket before placing it squarely in his palm. "I could use a study partner in the future. Just don't think you can back out during the finals." She offered him a playful wink but his mind had yet to reel in from the shock. Really? She was letting him have her number? For another time that day, he wondered if he'd have to look over his shoulder at any moment for an angry boyfriend to suddenly appear. There was _now way_ she was single. She was too damn cute!

Oikawa tried to play off his surprise. He sent a quick text to his number. For a second, the young man contemplated a brief idea that crossed his mind. Should he? A small smile tugged at his lips. Why the hell not? He raised the device briefly, "Mind if I do something? You'll like it." To concrete his assertion he shot her yet another thousand-watt grin. Kagome waved her hand in a placating manner.

"What are you planning?" She cocked her head to the side curiously. Black hair spilled over her shoulder, covering the small amount of collarbone that'd been exposed from her shirt. Yup, _definitely taken_. Or at least that's what he convinced himself.

"Just a selfie."

Recognition lit up in her expression. A bright grin the likes of which he seen before spread across her lips, "Only if I get to be in it. You're setting it to the contact, right?"

He nodded once, giving her room by wrapping his arm around the back of her chair and pushing them together. Of course it did ultimately give him the excuse to have it around her, but it wasn't like he'd tell her that any time soon. They settled in beside one another. She paid no heed to his arm that crept closer to her over the back of her seat. Instead she pressed in close to his chest, offered an adorable smile and pushed her cheek against his own. He returned the gesture, posing the phone to the perfect position to get the best image. He held it for a second longer than he should have, enjoying the moment more than he cared to admit to.

A hint of jasmine clung to his shirt the second she drew away from him. Was that her natural scent? He concentrated his efforts on returning to their impromptu study session. For two hours they talked and at least pretended to be interested in the material. He learned pretty quickly that Kagome was a first year at the university like himself. While they had the same professor, they unfortunately had different course sections. It was a shame but he managed to get her name, number, the fact that she loved cats and was going to major in Finance with a minor in Mathematics. She hadn't completely decided on her future job but it was something she was working on. The most interesting thing he discovered was when he revealed his scholarship for the volleyball team.

"That's amazing! No wonder you had a legion of fangirls." Kagome laughed lightly.

Oikawa postured a bit by tilting his chin away and smiling slightly, "I've always played as the setter. Because of that it's my job to make sure the team runs smoothly as a unit. We don't get to be flashy, unlike spikers. But we work just as hard." Okay, so maybe he was trying to impress her. His efforts seemed to work slightly as she brought up an image on her phone.

"Check it out!" At her insistence he leaned over to glance down at the image of a trophy. "Your story reminded me of this. My school ended up winning the Nationals in the Kyuudo Competition last year. It was difficult but I was so glad we went. Our team barely made it by but we hung in there and got the gold. It was awesome!" He blinked once. Wait, kyuudo? As in with a bow and arrow? _That_ kyuudo?

"Seriously?" He didn't think she understood his meaning but she answered him anyways.

"Of course! I've been shooting with the bow since I was a kid. Tou-san was a pretty famous archer back in his day as well." She flashed another bright grin. "I'm just glad that I got to do it as well too."

"Congratulations." The word truly was heartfelt. He felt the brief taste of something bitter in the back of his throat at the mention of nationals. Last year Aoba Johsai had been defeated by Karasuno in the Semi Finals. He never saw that last match against Shiratorizawa or Ushijima for that matter. His eyes narrowed momentarily. This year, he'd make damn sure he didn't make the same mistakes again. Sensing Kagome's rising curiosity to his ire he chose to redirect the conversation.

"Anyways, you feel more confident now?"

She nodded vigorously, "Yes, thank you Oikawa-kun!" That time he didn't stop the small splash of heat that rose to his cheeks. Funny, the rest of the shop was cold. Perhaps the staff finally decided to blast the heater after several complaints. Suddenly she stopped once more. Her eyes settled upon his form as she tilted her head to the side cutely. He was signing his own death warrant wasn't he? At least he could say it was sweet while it lasted.

"See something you like?" The young man couldn't help the tease the longer her eyes lingered on his body. Suddenly there were only three words flashing through his mind: _Dead man walking_.

Kagome's smile turned teasing, "If I said yes, would you stop scowling?" He nearly choked at her words. Did she just flirt with him?

"Only if your boyfriend doesn't kill me first." It wasn't subtle at all. He was fishing and she likely knew it as well. Judging by the ever increasing smile on her lips, he knew that she had him virtually figured out by this point. Intelligent, sense of humor and adorable. He didn't stand a chance if she were already with someone. Her nature alone led him to believe she'd be too dedicated to break up over a random guy's flirting. His mood soured. Random, huh? He didn't like the sound of that.

"I don't think imaginary guys are going to chase you down any time soon." She cupped her hand over her eyes and pretended to look around the shop as if searching for something. "Nope, no boyfriends around here. You have a suggestion of where I can find one?"

_Right here_ … was what he wanted to say. Frankly he was surprised that she was single at all. How as that possible? Was she avoiding dating others? That didn't seem like the case given how much she responded to his flirtatious behavior. Maybe she just hadn't found the person she wanted to be with yet? That thought gave him a small bit of hope. Just as soon as it'd appeared, he feebly tried to crush it.

Of course he knew that he _shouldn't_ get involved with someone. Not during mid-terms and definitely not before any tournaments. It'd just go the way of his last relationship. He couldn't get involved. He didn't have enough time to dedicate to another person. But that didn't meant that he his heart would listen to his mind's logic.

"You looking for one?" His filter completely fell away. Whatever chance he'd had at steering this conversation away from asking her out immediately came crashing to a halt.

"You offering?" Kagome brushed her hand against his as she reached for her textbook. She'd taken his question as a jest and returned one of her own. Azure eyes remained focused on her belongings, pulling them together neatly before filing them into the small pack she'd originally brought with her. Once finished she slung it over her shoulder once more. "It was good meeting you Oikawa-kun!" That exuberant personality still shone through despite the first veil of darkness beginning to set outside. "I've gotta get back soon. Promised the girls that I'd help them too, you know?" She offered a quick wink. "See you around!" Before she took off, he stood up and swiftly gathered his items. Damn, why hadn't he collected his stuff when she did? Now he was falling behind!

"Hold on!" Oikawa quickly ran out of the shop. He jogged to keep pace with the young woman before she could take off completely. "It's getting dark. Why don't I walk you back to campus at least?"

The young woman's eyes widened slightly, then a grateful smile appeared. For a moment he'd been worried she would've denied him based solely on their limited interaction with each other. He was still a stranger to her and had no reason to trust him. Kagome nodded once.

"I'd appreciate it, if you don't mind. Besides," She grinned up at him. "You're rather interesting to talk to."

Oikawa knew right then that he'd have to break his promise about remaining single.


	2. It's a Date

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening:_ Happy by Pharrell Williams

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part II:** It's a Date

Oikawa held his phone up to the built-in camera of his laptop. He pointed a finger towards the text message that just appeared.

"See! I told you she's texting me!" His expression grew smug as Iwaizumi glowered from the other side of the screen. "Do you think she likes me?" The question had popped into his mind on more than one occasion. A single study session had turned into regular outings and messages asking about when to meet up shifted into fun conversations. As far as he knew Kagome was still single, so did that mean that he had a shot?

"I think you're an idiot." His friend snorted derisively. "If you're so worried about it why don't you just ask her yourself?" Oikawa turned owlishly towards the screen. He held his phone close to his chest and shook his head rapidly.

"I can't do that! What if she _doesn't_ like me? It'd ruin our whole friendship! Then what?" The young man's voice grew a few octaves higher than what could be considered 'natural'. Iwaizumi stared blankly at him. He blinked once then twice before making a response.

"Then don't. It's not my problem either way." He shrugged his shoulders at his friend. "But if you keep floundering around like this someone else is going to ask her. Then what?" He turned his question back on its head. Oikawa scowled at the thought. He pressed the edge of his phone against his chin. That wasn't too far from the truth either. He'd already seen a few guys trying to put the moves on her during the time that they had hung out together. Most hopefuls would get scared off by his intense glaring but there were a few that still had the balls to approach. Those were _not_ memories he wanted to relive at this moment.

"If all you're going to do is whine then I'm hanging up." Iwaizumi pinned him with a baleful look. "Unlike certain people I have exams to study for."

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa practically threw himself at the computer. "Don't leave me! I need you!"

His friend remained unmoved, "What are you, my clingy girlfriend?" The other male cringed as the setter let loose a whine the likes of which he'd only heard during the height of one of his tantrums. It was too bad he was separated by the computer screen because he _really_ wanted to kick some sense into the guy right now.

"You're so cruel Iwa-chan! Fine, I'll ask her!" Oikawa's lips pulled back into a pout as his brows furrowed with concern. With trembling fingers, he went to work on typing up a message on his phone. "Are you happy now?" It was meant to insult, but Iwaizumi felt no need to fall for his friend's tired habits.

"Not really. Like I said, I don't care either way. Just figure it out." A small smirk pulled at the corner of his lips at the sudden opportunity to turn the tables. "I'm curious though, what kind of girl is she to make you fall all over yourself like this? Maybe I should visit you soon." He allowed the notion to settle in before responding.

The setter's eyes narrowed sharply, "You…" He paused. Taking just a second to stop his texting to look towards his computer screen. "… What are you planning?" Oikawa instinctively felt guarded at the suggestion. He would love to show Iwaizumi around his campus and have a blast playing volleyball together like they did during their grade school years. But something about this felt entirely _off_. Was he messing with him or was he trying to figure out what kind of girl Kagome was? He didn't like that thought very much.

"For as long as I can remember you've been the smooth-talking type when it came to girls." The other man explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Now you're suddenly falling all over yourself trying to figure out if a girl is flirting with you through texts." Iwaizumi pointed a finger at him from the other side of the video call. "If you think she's into you, then she probably is. I just think it's hilarious that you're suddenly so self-conscious." His teasing smirk grew wider. "What happened to that playboy atmosphere you had about you? Someone finally manage to get under your skin?"

Not for the first time that day, Oikawa felt his cheeks heat with embarrassment. There was truth to his words. He was acting like an idiot even by his own standards. He needed to get his shit together. Otherwise how would he ever be able to impress Kagome? Or at least get her to agree to go on a date with him. He looked down at the message still half-way typed in his phone. He couldn't go at it too strongly. She seemed to have an aversion towards men who acted too aggressively. So how should he do it?

"How do I do this again?" The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Iwaizumi was silent for a full second, "Are you serious?" Oikawa met the inquiry with a nervous silence. He shouldn't have said that. Dark eyes narrowed through the screen. "Picture. Now."

The young man pulled up his favorite photo he had of her. In it Kagome was lounging across the sofa of his dorm. It was a shared unit with another player from the volleyball team. At that time it'd only been the two of them so they'd kept distracted by putting on Netflix and studying for their courses. The mid-terms had just ended but the finals would be approaching soon enough. Kagome had her legs perched on the arm rest and laid over the entirety of the sofa. Which wasn't a hard feat to manage in the first place. She held a book to her chest and had titled her head back to look up at his phone. A wide smile had graced her lips. It'd been so adorably cute that he couldn't help but make it his lock screen photo. Although she didn't quite know that yet.

"She's hot." Iwaizumi noted with ease. There was a small glint of masculine appreciation in his friend's eyes before it disappeared. "Have you at least asked her out yet?"

Oikawa scowled once more, "No. The timing is never right."

"But she's flirting with you?"

The setter shook his head, "I _think_ she's flirting with me. There's a difference, you know!" Unfortunately, that difference meant that the uncertainty of Kagome's feelings towards her him were palpable. Did she like him? Was she only hanging out with him because he was the 'fun friend' to have around? He hated that notion.

The other male stared silently through the screen. He could just _feel_ his frustration with his waffling but that wouldn't change the situation. Could he ask her out? Should he ask her out? What if he screwed up their friendship? These things were always so hard!

"I'm going to do you a favor." Iwaizumi announced. "Dial her number. _Right now_." His eyes grew impossibly wide. Oh shit.

"I can't! I don't have anything to say to her!"

" _Do it._ " Iwaizumi's tone left little room to argue. Like a scolded child, Oikawa did as he was commanded but not without complaint.

"You're cruel, Iwa-chan!" He hadn't the chance to say anything else as the dial tone quickly morphed into Kagome's chirpy greeting.

"Oikawa-kun!" As if instinctual, he put her on speaker so that his friend could hear their conversation more clearly through their video chat. "I'm glad you called! Listen, are you available tomorrow?" His face grew hot. Iwaizumi was smirking on the screen and suddenly he felt incredibly nervous. His stomached twisted itself into knots. Was she about to ask _him_? No, no, no, no, no! He couldn't let her do that!

"Sure am. You interested in going out to see something?" Shit, that was awkward wasn't it? His friend slapped his palm over his eyes and shook his head. Judging from that reaction, he'd say _yes_. Kagome laughed on the other end.

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind but sure thing! Just give me the time you want to meet up." She paused for a second. "Oh, that's right! I was actually going to let you know that you left your bag over here last night. If we're going to see each other anyways, I guess I can just give it to you then."

His face grew even more red. Had he? He couldn't remember. The only thing he could recall was whether or not he should make his move. She'd been so close. Her arms had gone around his middle in a small, friendly hug. He'd returned the gesture but he couldn't remember what happened afterwards other than that he rushed out of the door. He'd been so scared that he'd make a fool of himself and in the end it looked like he'd done that anyways. Well at least this was giving him the chance for a second opportunity, perhaps even more.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow. How does after your last class sound?" He vaguely remembered that she had a few later courses on her Fridays. He didn't want her to feel rushed when he took her out, so planning a later date would be in their best interest.

"That's perfect. I'll see you then." With that the line cut out. Oikawa stared miraculously between the phone and his smirking friend.

"So…" He drawled out in shock. "It's a date?"

"It's a date." Iwaizumi responded nonchalantly. "Congrats."

 


	3. Success!

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening:_ Be Okay by Oh Honey

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part III** : Success

Oikawa shifted nervously. It was the scheduled time. Well to be more exact it was three minutes and forty-five seconds _before_ the promised meeting time. Had he always been this nervous before a date? He checked his breath for the fifth time in the span of five minutes. All good there. Now foul stench or the smell of the milk bun he'd had earlier lingering around. All he could taste was the slight spice of his breath mint. He unlocked his phone to glance over his messages. Iwaizumi had texted him frequently since their call. Namely just teasing him half to death over his newfound shyness. It wasn't like he _wanted_ to be this way but every time Kagome came around it was as if he lost all of his good senses.

"Sorry to hold you up!" Said young woman jogged up to him. "The professor held us back a bit to talk about a paper." Her expression soured into a softly lined scowl. "I was hoping to get over here a bit quicker, but I got held up because of that. Sorry to make you wait for so long." He felt her palm drop on his bicep a couple of times in a reassuring pat. Should he do it?

"It's fine. Can't exactly help that." He tucked his hands into his pockets, ignoring the urge to place them on the small of her back. _Not yet_. It was too soon. Iwaizumi would have probably kicked him by now for floundering so much. The setter threw a small grin towards his date. "Shall we get going?" his voice was smoother than his nerves at this point. Without hesitation she slid her arm through his gracefully. She pressed her shoulder into his side and smiled widely up at him.

"Of course!"

The walk to the theater was both short and filled with small conversations about what they'd done for the day. It was the usual as far as their routine went but there was slight glimmer in her azure eyes that made him even more nervous. What was he, a love-struck teenager? He had to get his act together before he screwed it up by being an idiot! Where was his charm? Where were his polished pick-up lines? Why the hell wasn't he able to say anything!?

Oikawa swiftly tried to think of something to say, "What kind of movie did you want to see? Date's choice." He threw a wayward grin in her direction. It looked like he still had _some_ of his game as she blushed brightly at the notion of being his date. Perhaps he should say it more often tonight? The setter quickly shook the thought. Nah, it'd ruin the effect. He'd have to do it sparsely, so her reaction would remain strong.

"Are you sure about that?" She pressed closer to him. The scent of jasmine filling his senses once more. Was that a perfume or was it her natural smell? Regardless it was rather pleasing. He felt the warmth of her side press into him and his thoughts came crashing to a sudden halt. "I prefer the dark thrillers or slasher flicks. Are you really up for something like that?" Was she teasing him? He glanced down. A light smirk splayed across her lips as a glint entered her eyes. Yup, she was _definitely_ teasing him. The temptation to wrap his arm around her waist hit him with all the force of a runaway train. He couldn't do that yet. It was their first date. He couldn't come on too strong. Otherwise she'd be chased off.

Oikawa chose to play along with her teasing, "All the better. My shoulder is open if you need it. You seem to enjoy leaning on it as is." Oh dear gods, did he really just do that? Iwaizumi was going to kick him. He could practically feel his friend's rage from twenty miles away. He'd only meant to tease her, not go quite that far in his joke.

Kagome appeared unperturbed. She laid her hand over his bicep and pressed her cheek against the top of his shoulder. "Ah, why thank you. I think I'll go ahead and take up your offer." She laughed a little as he felt his face heat. Everything was perfectly under control. That's right. He had his groove back. His date was interested in him. He had everything _perfectly_ under control. Just as that thought ran through his head for the second time that evening, her phone went off. Carefully, he released her hand so that she could reach into her pocket to answer the device.

"Higurashi speaking," She paused as the person on the other end spoke. The passing cars kept him from being able to hear too much, so he feigned interest in their surroundings as they trekked slowly to their destination. "The meeting was cancelled for tonight. Sorry but no. I have plans." Her eyes drifted towards his for a moment. Something was up. "Yeah, I get it. Just tell the others that we'll have our meeting next week. Sure thing, I'll see you then." With that she ended the call.

Kagome tipped her head up towards him and flashed yet another bright smile, "Sorry about that. It was the Kyuudo Club's Captain. We were trying to organize a formal meeting this week but one of our members ended up having a family emergency, so they'll be back next week." She casually turned her phone off and slipped it into her pocket. "Ready?"

"Only if you are." He smiled back at her. An unsettled feeling took root in his stomach. That didn't sound like the _only_ thing this 'captain' had asked her. He tried not to let his irritation show. Had that person asked her out on a date? Was this person male or female? If it was a woman then he wouldn't feel quite as disturbed at this moment. Maybe it was just a girl who wanted to hang out with her. He settled on that idea. Yeah, that sounded about right. They'd gotten to the theater without any further interruptions.

Oikawa approached the counter and bought two tickets of the closest time for the horror film she was interested in. By the time he tried to locate her, Kagome had already taken a spot in the concession stand line and was holding their place amongst the plethora of other college-age couples. He pressed a ticket stub into the palm of her hand.

"Popcorn, soda and chocolate?" The young man grinned. He recalled a previous conversation they'd had during one of their 'study sessions'. Realistically all they'd been were just excuses to hang out at his dorm away from their friends. Of course, they'd gone to her dorm as well, but her roommate was a bit of a stickler about rules regarding male visitors. The previous night when he'd left his bag over there was just the rare occasion. Their routine had been simple enough. Come over, put on Netflix and then get the popcorn going. She'd confessed to him then that her secret pleasure was having movie nights like this by herself when her friends and roommate were gone. He'd taken note of her preferences, _quite literally_! He'd even started a journal of what she preferred and what she didn't. Now all he had to do was to put them into action.

"You know me so well." Kagome shot back. They made their orders then secured their spots amongst the throng of people in the auditorium. Most people preferred the edge or top row seats for quicker exit strategies. However, both he and Kagome were slightly different. They preferred the middle. When in Rome do as the Romans, or as he liked to put it, when going to see a movie, put yourself as deep into the action as possible.

They'd started to settle into their seats. Just as he'd gotten his drink settled, she'd propped hers into its proper position before lifting the middle cup holder. Already!? His heart nearly stopped. The barrier between them nearly disappeared. He nearly placed his arm around the back of her chair when the bag of popcorn floated in his field of vision. He blinked once then twice. He dropped his partially raised arm as the bag of food was settled between them neatly, making for easier access rather than having to reach over the holder. Oh, so that was what she was doing. He deflated somewhat. He pushed the disappointment away. This was their first date! He couldn't push it too fast yet. Hanging out in his dorm under the guise of studying was _vastly_ different from sitting beside each other at the movies with nothing else to distract them.

His eyes were drawn to the slight glow of the screen on her tanned complexion. She was the athletic type. Toned muscles, perfect curves and not an ounce of fat out of place. Everything settled on her quite nicely. To be honest she would've been beautiful to him regardless of her weight. There was always something about that _smile_ that made him take notice. She was such a bright and happy woman that he couldn't help but want to be around her more often. The positivity that exuded from her was addictive and he wanted more of it.

He'd only briefly mentioned his position on the volleyball team to her. Fangirls had always trotted after him, offering him bento boxes in admiration and fawning over themselves to smooth his ego. He'd never really had to work to get attention from a female before. But with Kagome, he wondered what it'd take to get her to watch him play. Would she cheer for him boisterously like others have done? Or would she wait until after the game to give him a more intimate congratulations? His blood heated at the thought. This was bad. It was _too damn soon_ to be thinking like that. Still, his eyes drifted back towards the screen, he wanted her there. He wanted her to support him. Did that make him selfish?

The young woman cringed slightly as a predictable death occurred on screen. It was gratuitous at best and he didn't much care for it. But Kagome was interested and that was all that mattered at the moment. Oikawa leaned down to press his lips close to her ear. Not enough to touch, but still allowing the heat of his breath to ghost across her skin.

"My shoulder's still open." That time he forced down the nervousness, keeping his tone even. She gave a small laugh at his suggestion.

"Since you're offering," They shifted the popcorn to her lap. In a matter of seconds her shoulder pressed into his arm as her cheek nestled comfortably into the crook of his neck. The setter only hoped that she couldn't hear how fast his heart was beating. It was as if he'd just run a mile. Was this really happening? Had he actually gotten her on a date and convinced her to rest on his shoulder? He was half-way tempted to believe that this was some sort of cruel dream that he would eventually wake up from.

Oikawa felt the warmth of her breath along the side of his neck. It was both intimate and endearing. As much as he disliked the horrors and death occurring on screen, he wanted the movie to last forever. Just so that he'd have the excuse to let her stay where she was. Unfortunately, it ended far too soon. The young man sighed as the credits rolled on the screen and the lights flicked on.

Kagome drew away from him, leaving only the slight chill of where her warmth once resided. The faint scent of jasmine filled his senses once more. He quietly stood. Raising his palm, he offered her his hand. A silent gesture to help her back onto her feet from the comfortable chairs. She slipped her hand into his for the first time. The tips of her fingers were callused but the rest of it was soft. For an insane moment, he wondered if the rest of her would be just as soft. His face flushed before he could stop the thought.

"Ready to go home?"

"Only if you are." She threw back at him. The answer to that was a resounding 'no' but that wasn't his decision to make… _yet_. Maybe eventually they'll get to that point but tonight was too soon. He helped her to her feet and began the long way back. Their hands remained link even after they left the theater. He didn't want to let go and it didn't appear that she did either. He relished in the contact. _She was holding his hand._ Despite his excitement, their steps were measured and slow. The only conversation flowing between them was what they'd thought of the movie. He wanted this to last longer.

His eyes narrowed as they reached her dorm's building. As expected, their time together came to an end before he was prepared for it.

"See you tomorrow?" Kagome wrapped a strand of hair around her index and middle finger, shifting on her heel somewhat shyly. It was cute.

"Sure. I'll find us something interesting to do." He'd nearly kicked himself for setting the bar so high. What'd he done? _Interesting_? What interested him probably didn't interest Kagome at all! She was athletic, but would that mean that she'd like volleyball? He shook the thoughts from his head. He'd think about later. For now he'd just focus on what was most important: Her.

"Oh and Oikawa-kun," Her fingers curled a little tighter around his own cutely, "Thanks for today. I had fun." Then she slipped away, beyond the sliding doors that separated them. The setter offered a polite wave before she turned on her heel, heading towards a curved hallway and out of sight.

She held his hand and… wait, they were going on another date tomorrow? Shit, he had to get planning! Where was Iwaizumi when he needed him the most? Oikawa returned to his dorm swiftly. He had some research to do. The young man stopped as the door to his room closed. They'd just had their first date, held hands and even made plans for a second. Their relationship, while new, was definitely going places. So where did this now put him? He was no longer 'just a friend' but he wasn't exactly a 'boyfriend' yet. He pressed his index finger and thumb to his chin as he voiced his question out loud.

"Should I call her?"


	4. Girl Trouble

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening_ : Call on Me by Starley

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part IV** : Girl Trouble

"I can't do it!" Oikawa whined, throwing his hands up in the air pathetically. "I promised I'd find us something _interesting_ to do but I don't have a clue!"

Iwaizumi glowered at him from the other side of the video call. He was dressed only in an old sweatshirt and jogging pants, a clear indicator that he'd interrupted his sleep.

"Do I look like I even _remotely_ have a clue about what this girl's hobbies are?" The frustrated growl nearly shook the setter to his core. If it weren't for the fact that he was more upset at his own idiocy. " _You're_ her boyfriend, aren't you? Figure it out on your own!" He wanted to curl up into a ball and bemoan his big mouth.

"Not _exactly_ , we just went on one date." He felt like a star struck pre-teen with all of his fidgeting.

"Now it's going to be two." There was a note of annoyance in his friend's tone. "Details aside, you're _dating_ her." Did his ears just turn red? They certainly felt hot! Iwaizumi ignored his flustered stuttering. "I can't make these decisions for you otherwise it wouldn't be _you_ dating her. It'd be me using you as a _proxy_. Do you understand?"

Oikawa scowled. Something fierce burned in his stomach as he turned his glare onto his friend, "Iwa-chan…" The other male didn't allow him to finish the threat.

"I'm being honest. Find out her hobbies. _Ask her for crying out loud_!" Iwaizumi leaned forward. His figure becoming more looming through the lens of the web camera. "She's your girl. You're taking her out on dates. Now get your shit together before I buy a train ticket up there just to knock your ass back into gear." The dark haired male pointed an accusatory finger towards the stack of textbooks piled high behind him. "Have you even _studied_? What about practice? How are you going to balance a girlfriend with your schooling _and_ volleyball?" Iwaizumi crossed his arms over his chest. "You need to start thinking about these things so they don't bite you in the ass later."

Oikawa pouted. He hated that his friend was always right, but that was the reason why he continually called him. Iwaizumi was _reliable_ in a way that his parents and older sister weren't. Still, he couldn't let the insults slide. He pointed towards his web camera.

"Your personality is horrible, Iwa-chan! You'll be a forever alone if you keep acting like that!" Then he stuck his tongue out petulantly. He was a dead man. Securing his spot as Kagome's boyfriend wouldn't mean anything if Iwaizumi killed him before he could enjoy that title.

A terrifying expression flickered over his childhood friend's face. "What was that? Did you just ask me to come down there?" He cracked his knuckles ominously. The sound caused a tiny shiver to run down his spine. "Because that's what I heard."

The setter turned his whole body away from the computer, "If you aren't going to help me then there's no point." His voice grew a bit quieter. "Besides, she's _different_ from other girls. I keep losing my cool around her." He took a volleyball into his hands and held it by his face. "I can face down guys like Ushijima without a problem. But this girl? I can't get my words straight around her. Things slip out and I always think that I'm going to push her away if I go too fast." He spun the ball between his palms, not watching the sudden shift in his companion's demeanor.

"You're right in that I have to balance things out better, but how can I do that?" His lips pressed into a thin line. "I've only known Kagome for a few weeks, but she's…" His thoughts trailed off. He liked her. He _really_ did. But what _specifically_ drew him to her? It wasn't just the physical attraction – which there was _plenty_. He wracked his mind for all the things that drew him in. Was it her sex appeal? Or the million-watt smile she always had at the ready? He didn't quite know.

"Special?" Iwaizumi finished for him. A small smirk splayed across his lips. "Funny, I didn't take you as the fanboy type." He rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb thoughtfully. "Now I _seriously_ have to meet this girl. What kind of person does she have to be to be able to tame _your_ playboy spirit? I'm curious."

"Denied!" Oikawa pronounced loudly. "You'll just fall for her and then we'll be forced into a fight to the death!" He'd always had a flair for the dramatic but Iwaizumi seemed as unimpressed by his antics as he ever had. The setter clutched his fist to his chest and raised the volleyball above his head. "I treasure both you and Kagome equally. I cannot allow this to come between us!"

"Hey jackass," There was a slight pause as Iwaizumi took a long breath. "The only person who's gonna die is _you_ if you don't get your shit together." He pointed his finger at him again through the other side of the screen. "If I have to come down there _just_ to play matchmaker then I'm going to make your life a living hell for as long as I can." His voice dropped into a tone that caused ice to fill Oikawa's stomach. "Have I made myself clear?"

He was silent, thinking over that possibility. Iwaizumi coming to this campus? Threats of 'meeting' Kagome aside, he knew this for a prime opportunity.

"That's perfect!" The setter practically yelled out. A loud fist bashed against the other side of his room's inner wall. Apparently his roommate didn't appreciate his dramatic flair either. "Hey, when are you free? Think you can plan a visit next week?"

Iwaizumi quirked a brow, "I thought you were going to fight me to the death? What's this about visiting all of a sudden?" Suspicion entered his friend's gaze. "If you expect me to babysit you on your date then you might as well give up now. I'm not _that_ curious." He shrugged his shoulders on the other side of the screen. "I'd rather finish my term paper than watch you fall all over yourself for this girl."

"That's not nice, Iwa-chan." His expression darkened somewhat. "Did Yachi-chan finally break up with you?"

Iwaizumi grew tense. The other male's jaw clenched tightly, "We weren't dating so it wasn't a break up." He glanced away from the monitor to something on his wall. "Besides," his voice lowered. "She wanted me to focus more on my studies." There was no mistaking the slight grimace in his expression. It was clearly a decision she'd made for the both of them.

Oikawa thrust the volleyball to the web camera, pointing a single index finger at his friend. "Ah hah, I get it! Tobio-chan finally got super mad about you sniffing around his girl and chased you off!" A grin spread across his lips. "I'm right, aren't I?" It's been obvious that his friend had, had an intense crush on Karasuno's new manager. He'd been trying to talk to her for some time but met resistance in the form of the team's 'genius setter', Kageyama Tobio. When it came to Yachi, he fully supported his childhood friend in his efforts. However not even he could deny how adorable she and Kageyama were together.

Iwaizumi slowly turned to glare at the screen, "Who's girl?" The setter fought the urge to jump back. Instead he doubled down on his observation. Was he still in denial?! Oh, this wasn't good! His own girl troubles set aside, he focused on his friend's dilemma.

"There's no denying it! I've scented your weakness, Iwa-chan!" He turned, cradling the ball between his shoulder and neck. "Poor Iwa-chan, even the girl he liked ended up with another. He shall be known as a _forever alone_!"

Oikawa spun around, "Fear not, Iwa-chan. I shall accept you no matter how lonely you are! Now come! Crash my dorm and drown out your sorrows on my couch! I'll even get you take out and listen to everything you have to say!" He nodded to himself twice, one part proud and the other part terrified of the reaction he might get from his volatile friend.

A low growl resonated from the screen, "Fine. I'll be coming down there next week." Iwaizumi leaned close so that all he could see was his terrifyingly furious expression. "But I'm not going there to play matchmaker. I'm going there to _kick the ever loving shit out of you_."

With that the computer screen went black. A wide grin spread across the setter's lips. Mission accomplished! Iwaizumi had always been fairly easy to rile. Because of that volatile nature he was always able to persuade him into doing his bidding. A devious idea popped into his mind. He withdrew his phone from his pocket and sent a quick text to his friend.

_Did you need my advice this time? You are a bit awkward with girls._

The response was quick. Oikawa laughed as he read the next message. It was just a long stream of curses along with Iwaizumi telling him where he could shove his volleyball. He chose not to push his luck further than he had.

The young man glanced down at his phone. In the background he'd saved another photo of Kagome. She had been in the process of pushing her hair behind her ear. Her pale blue dress had been fluttering around her knees and a soft smile adorned her lips the second her eyes had met his. He loved that photo. It perfectly captured the soft, somewhat innocent charm she had about her. The time flashed above her head, drawing his attention away. It was still pretty early in the evening. She didn't usually go to sleep until well after midnight on the weekends. A light feeling filled his chest.

"I should call her."


	5. How Does this Work Again?

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening:_ I Really Like You by Carly Rae Jepsen

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part V** : How Does This Work Again?

How was he supposed to do this again? Oh right, just dial and ask how she enjoyed her evening with him. It was that simple… right? Oikawa's fingers trembled. Biting into his bottom lip, he sucked a breath through his nose and pressed his thumb over her contact. He nearly closed his eyes in nervousness the second her image pulled up on the phone.

"Oikawa-kun!" Kagome's voice practically beamed from the other line. He could almost picture her smile. His expression softened as the memory of it filled his mind. "I totally messed up earlier!" She gave a small laugh at the unexpected admittance. Although he thoroughly disagreed with that statement. If anyone had 'messed up' then it'd been him. Especially after he made such a daunting promise.

"I forgot to give you your bag." His mind blanked at her words. Wait, his bag? Oh shit that was right! That was the whole reason why she originally wanted to meet yesterday. Although he managed to snag a date out of her. Well technically _two_ dates if he counted tomorrow's get together.

"Did you want to see me that badly or am I just special?" Oikawa couldn't stop the joke from running away from him. How did she always throw him off his game? He needed to even the scores somehow. As the ideas filtered into his mind, she continued onwards in their conversation.

"A little of both? You _are_ a bit special." The setter detected a slight hint of embarrassment in her voice. Damn, why hadn't he video called her like he did Iwaizumi? Now he was missing out on seeing this first hand!

"Oh? Should I come over now to get it then? I'd like to hear more about this." He decided at that moment that he'd officially lost track of himself. What had he gotten into? Too bad he couldn't bash his head against the wall without drawing his roommate's irritation.

"Is that an offer?" The sound of a door slamming drowned out her happy laughter. Oikawa paused as he could hear her apologizing to someone in the background. "Sorry about that," Kagome returned to their conversation. "My roommate was trying to study and I got too loud." Her voice was a bit more sheepish this time from embarrassment. What he wouldn't give just to see that blush on her face. Did he have a picture of one? He needed to look through his album later to see.

"So should I stop by tonight and make it an early date?" Did he just suggest what he thought he did? He hardly even held her hand! That was five steps too many to skip ahead! Or was it four? The setter shook his head. It didn't matter, what was important was how _Kagome_ would take it. He waited with bated breath for her reaction.

"I don't think Sango-chan would appreciate you being over here so late." The young woman's tone grew soft with what he hoped to be affection. "Otherwise I'd let you crash on the couch." Well, at least it'd be under the same roof. That was _some_ progress. He definitely set himself up for disappointment with that one though. The young man tried to think of another direction to steer their conversation.

"That's too bad," Son of a bitch, why couldn't he stop?! "I was looking forward to seeing you sooner." Was it saved? Had he helped his situation? Or had he just made it worse? Oikawa threw himself on his bed, listening for the tiniest changes in her voice. He dropped his free arm over his eyes and tried to cool the warmth in his face. Had dating always been this difficult? No, the other girls he went out with before usually fell all over themselves to impress him. Now the tables were turned and he was feeling keenly self-conscious in a way he never had before. Maybe he really _did_ need Iwaizumi to kick his ass back into gear.

"We can use the excitement for tomorrow if that's the case." Kagome responded lightly. Had he mentioned that he loved the sound of her laugh? "Speaking of, what did you want to do? I'm free for a good part of the day so I'm open to pretty much anything."

Oikawa felt both nervous and relieved at the sudden shift in topic. This would be his best opportunity to learn more about her. Frankly they'd only discovered the bare minimum about each other and he was eager to learn more.

"I had a few ideas but is there anything you like to do?" The setter rolled to his side. He curled his arm under his head and focused intently on the sound of her voice. Approaching in this direction had given him enough leeway to not look like he'd just dug his own grave. She'd think that he'd just been unsure of what she'd like to do rather than being completely lost in a sea of ideas. It was a _perfect_ cover.

"Couldn't think of anything?" Kagome teased.

_Busted._

"Don't worry I'm just giving you a bit of trouble." She gave a small breath of laughter through the phone. His heart began to beat within his chest once more at the sound.

"That's not nice. I thought you were the sweet one?" Oikawa tried to play off the near heart attack he'd just had to no avail. "You're so cute too." Could his mattress swallow him hole like what that notorious horror film villain did? His embarrassment was about to eat him alive.

"Ooh, compliment!" Kagome ran with his comment. "I think that's the first time someone has proclaimed me to be cute so boldly. Extra points for courage!" He heard her hum thoughtfully.

"So how many points am I at now?" The knots in his stomach loosened. The setter lost track of his goal and simply fell into step naturally with the conversation. What'd he be so worried about again? "Because I'm curious to know how many more I need to get."

"I'd say you earned enough to land yourself in the adorably handsome category," Kagome shot back playfully. "As for how much you need," She paused as if to think it over carefully. "I think that'll depend on what you're going for. You looking to hit the quirky jock or the devilishly appealing boyfriend?"

A smirk pulled at his lips, "Oh, so the second option is available? Do tell me more about that opening and how to secure it." Somehow their banter was turning into something he wasn't familiar with. Was this getting sexual? Were they already at _that_ stage? The nervousness didn't freeze his insides like it had before. Instead Oikawa chose to keep focused on the small play that had taken place between them through the phone.

"First things first, we still have to make plans for tomorrow." He heard her briefly shuffle around in her room. He tried to picture it but his mind swiftly drew blanks. He'd gone to her dorm on a few occasions but thus far he'd only been permitted into the main living space. He'd learned through their conversations that Kagome had earned a full ride scholarship due to her impeccable grades in high school. As such she had been allowed to bunk in a dorm with individual rooms and a shared living space. The setter had only met her roommate once but the interaction was so brief that he hadn't the chance to properly judge her character.

What he did know was that both girls seemed to have a shared love of thrillers. Their walls had been plastered in full size images of cult classic films, little known heart pounding mysteries and music posters associated with classic western rock. There was the odd steam punk style pictures that seemed to be hand drawn as well. Neither she nor her roommate appeared to be the 'typical' girl that roamed the halls of their all-female dorm. He was curious to see what else he could discover about her through her room's décor. But, did that make him creepy? He'd shelf the thought for now in favor of a more important matter.

"As much as I enjoyed the movie tonight, it might get a little stale doing that two days in a row." She offered a small, thoughtful hum. "I'm still getting used to the area so I don't know a lot of the local hang out spots yet."

"You too?" Oikawa laughed with her. "The guys on the team are all pretty dedicated, so they spend most of their free time at the gym." In fact he didn't think _any_ of his teammates did anything other than study and play volleyball. He enjoyed the sport as much as the next person, but he didn't think that he could go without dating _anyone_ for such a lengthy period of time. Kagome's soft voice drew his rapt attention back towards her. Besides, he'd be even _less_ okay with allowing this opportunity to slip by him. He was going to take this chance no matter where it led him.

"Ah, that's right! You're into volleyball!" She sat up on her bed briskly, causing her to groan slightly at the slight unbalanced feeling it gave her.

"Feeling okay over there? I could still drop by." Now he was pushing it, but he no longer felt the need to cover. How odd that his nerves settled so quickly. Maybe it was because they were on the phone? That didn't quite feel like the right answer.

"I'm fine," The young woman practically beamed through the phone. "Anyways a few friends of mine from high school asked me to meet up with them for a game of baseball tomorrow at noon." She ruffled through more paperwork, presumably trying to find her agenda to look up her scheduled plans. She'd kept it on her all the time and would add or scratch off anything that happened to her schedule. He'd asked her about it once and she confided that she often had a habit of forgetting any plans she'd made prior. So she'd gotten into the habit of notating everything so that she would no longer forget. He looked through it once with her permission and found a neatly packed timeline for each day; complete with small, cutely drawn characters of her own making.

"What do you say we go out for breakfast together, then if you want we can head to the game." He took note of the tell tale sound of her pen scratching over the paper of her notebook. Oikawa wondered if she might have added a small ballon-like creature next to the note with a cheerful smile and pitcher's mitt. "The others were already asking about you."

He blinked then smiled widely, "Oh? Have you bragged about me?" The setter needled a bit more. He _wanted_ her to brag about him. He _wanted_ her to tell her friends that she'd found someone. "I'm game for both of those tomorrow. What time did you want me to pick you up?" He glanced towards the clock. It was getting close to one in the morning. It'd be a bit ridiculous to end a call this late then expect to be ready before seven. Nine would be the best time on a normal day so they couldn't eat too heavy if they were going to do hard physical activity by noon. His mind threatened to wander into dangerous territory at that thought.

"How about eight? The breakfast place gets pretty crowded after that." She expertly navigated the conversation away from his previous inquiry.

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you then." His thumb had reached for the 'end call' button when her soft voice stopped him.

"Hey Oikawa-kun?" She seemed so shy and nervous that it made the heat return to his face in full force. "Thanks for today. I had fun."

His smile became a bit softer, "I did too. See you in the morning." With that the line went dead.

Oikawa's grin grew wide. He'd done it. He'd called her, solving not only his issue with what to do but also how to approach her in the future.

"I should call Iwa-chan again!" Sitting up quickly, he opened up his laptop and dialed out to his childhood friend. He waited until the other male's groggy expression appeared on his screen.

"Iwa-chan, you're not going to believe this!"

The rest of the night Oikawa spent nursing his ringing ear drums. Who knew the guy could be so temperamental?


	6. Foreboding Feeling

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Pairing: Oikawa/Kagome_

_Suggested Listening:_ The Creationist by Kerli

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part VI** : Foreboding Feeling

Oikawa had made it to the girl's dorm a full fifteen minutes early. He hadn't been able to sleep due to Iwaizumi's verbal thrashing and barrage of furious texts. He couldn't necessarily blame him. The 'not a break up' with Yachi had put his friend on edge recently. The girl was cute in her own right but was never exactly comfortable around Iwaizumi. Not to mention the fact that Kageyama had butted between them as much as he could. Both of those idiots were just plain stupid when it came to love. Not that he could say anything against them these past few weeks.

As if in cue, he spotted Kagome's figure bounding down the hallway. She bore a brilliant grin and slight skip in her step. Had he done that? He certainly hoped so! She had his bag over her shoulders as well. Looks like he wouldn't be able to use it as an excuse to drop by her dorm anymore. Not that it mattered much to him anyways. The glass doors opened and she flitted to his side in two mere steps.

"You ready?" The young woman smiled up at him. Oikawa took his bag from her, slipped the strap over his shoulder then held his palm open in a wordless gesture for her to take it.

"Only if you are." The setter smiled widely the second the tips of her fingers weaved through his own. He'd held hands with other girls before. It'd always been so simple. The act itself hadn't really done much for him. The girls he'd dated previously always seemed to enjoy it though, so he made sure that he'd done it often to keep them happy. Now the notion of taking Kagome's hand into his own seemed more _personal_ than it did the last few times. He was keenly aware of all the slight ridges along the tips of her fingers. He could also feel the softness of her palm against his own. It was so warm in comparison. Had holding hands always meant to feel this intimate? His grip tightened over his date's fingers subtly. He hoped so.

"Let's stop at your place to drop that off first." The young woman gestured towards his bag. His lips curved upwards slightly and gave a short nod. His place, huh? He liked the sound of that.

"Oh, is that what you're into? Well it would be better before breakfast anyways." Oh gods, what had he done?

Kagome pushed her shoulder closer to him. A small smirk played across her lips as she cupped her hand over her mouth and leaned up to whisper into his ear.

"We'll save that for later." She withdrew before he had a chance to fully comprehend what she'd said. "It's like that saying, haste makes waste. We shouldn't rush that part." The setter felt slender fingers squeeze around his briefly in an act of reassurance.

Oh… _Oh!_

It hadn't been a 'no' as he'd feared. A spark of confidence lit through him. This girl was going to be the death of him, but in the best way possible.

"Understood. I shall bear that in mind." Oikawa casually slipped into step beside her. It hadn't taken any more than ten minutes to wander back towards his dorm. He blinked once as they approached the door. Slapped on the outside where everyone could see was a regular eight by eleven paper that'd been crudely scribbled over in black sharpie.

_**Shut the fuck up already. You're too damn loud.** _

_**-T** _

His mood swiftly soured. The guy he'd been forced to dorm with was also attending this school on a sports scholarship. The kid played baseball and had a foul temper even on the best of days. He usually just tried to avoid interacting with him but it would seem that his late night calls to Iwaizumi were dragging on him.

"Your roommate is a real peach, huh?" Came Kagome's sarcastic response. She raised her free hand to tear down the note. "Yup, this just screams of sunshine and rainbows. Feel like leaving a note for him too? I'll draw the tie dye hearts!" The irritation slipped away. In it's place a warmth in his chest spread through him. Had he mentioned that she was absolutely adorable? A wide grin stretched across his lips.

"I would agree but I'm pretty hungry. What do you say we save that for after the game? Let him think he got one over on us before pull the rug out from beneath his feet." The setter unlocked the door to find the space in a pristine condition. Had the guy left for the weekend? He didn't have a clue.

"Ooh, that's devious." His date's grin became playful. " _I like it_."

They hadn't spent much time at his place, unfortunately. They'd simply dropped his backpack on the couch then turned around and left again. The setter hadn't wasted any time in taking hold of her hand the second he'd finished locking up.

It was only a short while later that they found themselves standing in front of the only breakfast oriented restaurant in the small college town. Oikawa blinked. She hadn't been kidding when she said that it got busy quickly. People had already taken every available spot amongst the benches and a few were standing by the glass entryway.

"Want to give it a try?" He held the door open for her.

"Thanks," Kagome smiled brightly as she entered the small establishment. "And why not? That just gives us more time together. Don't you agree?" There was a playful spark in her eyes that was endlessly _infectious_. He followed in after her, placing his hand at the space between her shoulders lightly.

"Fine by me."

Oikawa pulled them to a small corner tucked away from the main thread of traffic. He pulled her flushed to his side and wound his arm around her shoulders protectively. It was a bold move but he'd used it under the guise of helping to prevent others from walking into her. It was a load of crap of course. He just wanted to see if he could get away with it.

Much to his pleasure, a line of pink went across Kagome's nose at their proximity. He could feel her warmth radiate through his side where he held her securely. The faint beat of her pulse fluttered rapidly beneath his fingertips.

"Do you play baseball a lot?" The setter broke the ice. The families around them shifted away, providing the perfect opportunity for him to focus his undivided attention on the girl in his arms. His smile warmed. It felt nice.

Kagome nodded once, "Yeah. A close friend of mine was on the team in high school so that was how I learned to play." Was it just him or did her voice get softer? She'd leaned into him as a group of five pushed their way into the small waiting area. He held her closer to himself as a precaution. It wouldn't do to have someone trample her on their second date.

"Oikawa, your table is ready!"

His head snapped up. Carefully working his way through the crowd, the young man kept his free arm locked safely around his date's shoulders. She didn't complain at the old move. So he left it there for as long as he could.

The pair was led through the crowded aisles to a small table set at the back of the restaurant. It was far enough away from the entrance that the overwhelming noise of other conversations became a low hum in the background. He moved forward and pulled the seat out for her. The young woman flashed him a grateful smile and a quick 'thank you,' before settling in her seat. He took the spot across from her quickly. They placed their drink orders in before they were left to their own devices.

"So," Oikawa began, trying to keep the atmosphere between them alive. The worst mistake he'd ever done while on a date was allow the conversation to end. He had to keep things moving. "Where are you from? I came here from Seijou, so it's a bit of a trip going back."

Kagome gave a low whistle, "That's pretty far. That's, what, about two hours by train?" She tapped her index finger on her chin thoughtfully. The setter sat back and watched her talk animatedly with her hands. He wasn't sure if she noticed, but she had the adorable habit of using her hand motions to emphasize her comments.

"I'm actually from a small district about fifteen minutes away from here." She tucked her hands under her chin. His smile softened as she gratefully took her drink from the server. "My father went this school so I ended up going here as well. It sort of runs in the family to attend here." The young woman gave a small, adorable laugh.

"It's a bit different for me. My sister went to a college down in Osaka since that was where she wanted to move." He sat back and placed his main order once Kagome had put hers in as well. "I went here since I earned a full ride scholarship towards volleyball. Not to mention the team is pretty amazing."

This time she pressed forward in her inquiries, "Speaking of, which school did you go to before? Ours was had been a power house for a while, so we probably played against you at one point." The setter grinned widely. Even though his days playing for Seijou was over, he still bore the pride of the school's name upon his back and heart.

"Aoba Johsai," He presses his chin into the palm of his hand and winked playfully. "Sound familiar?"

She nodded once, "Oh that's right, I remember now." The young woman laughed lightly, "My friend was watching the Spring-High matches pretty closely. Of course that meant I had to watch them too."

Oikawa rolled his shoulders at the sudden kink that formed in his neck. "I didn't think too many girls would be interested in watching volleyball."

He stopped at Kagome's swelling laughter. It wasn't mocking but it did cause a warm feeling to spread through him.

"Oh, my friend isn't a girl. He was watching because he wanted to see who he'd face in the nationals." His mind came to a screeching halt.

_A guy?_

"Which school did you go to again?" He wracked his brain for the answer. Did he know him? What kind of guy was it? _Was he interested in her_? Oikawa's mood soured at the thought.

"It was Nekoma. I think we went to the Nationals last year, too. He was pretty stoked."

A foreboding sense of horror started to dawn on him. Nekoma. _That_ Nekoma, which meant… he tried to shake the feeling. Just because her friend was on the team didn't mean that it was _him_.

He'd met the team once before in a previous tournament. They were an incredibly well balanced with amazing players. What he couldn't stand the most though was their captain. His stomach curled itself into knots.

_Don't let it be.._

"My friend is Kuro Tetsurou. We're meeting him later today actually." She smiled again while his heart dropped.

_It was_.


	7. Say What?!

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Suggested Listening:_ Harlem by New Politics

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part VII:** Say What?!

Oikawa had always tried to play the role of the 'perfect gentleman' when it came to dating. He was patient, kind and made sure to display impeccable manners. This day though he did something he swore he would never do: He dropped his façade. Realistically he was just in a bad mood and could no longer fake it.

Kagome laced her fingers through his gently. She hadn't let go of him from the moment they left breakfast this morning. Unfortunately he'd allowed his sour mood to interfere in their date. Iwaizumi was going to kill him when he found out.

"Hey Kagome, over this way!" A far too familiar voice called out from across the small playing field. It looked to have been made specifically for the local neighborhood teams. There was only a small patch of grass, a handful of bases thrown out in the approximate areas where they should be, and a makeshift net to keep any stray balls from careening into some poor neighbor's window. The young man strolled beside her stiffly.

"You feeling up for a good game today?" Kuro greeted Kagome warmly. The setter fought the urge to stiffen at the comment. The male hadn't even made eye contact with him yet. What, was he invisible or something!? He felt her shoulder brush against his arm, pulling him from those thoughts as quickly as they'd appeared.

"We're more than ready for a good game. How're the guys?" She was actively encouraging him to stand beside her. Where she stepped, he followed in line with her. Still his eyes remained on the previous Captain of Nekoma. How did they meet? What was their relationship? Most importantly, _was he a threat_? He didn't know much about Kuro outside of volleyball. The only thing he knew was that the guy was a veritable shark on the court. He also liked to talk a lot of shit. His brows furrowed. Would it be like that today as well? His grip subtly tightened its hold over his date's hand.

"They've been bemoaning the fact that you haven't come around for the last few weeks." Kuro threw a playful smirk over his shoulder. The two men behind him shuffled uncomfortably. One he recognized as Nekoma's setter, Kenma Kozume. The boy was quiet at the best of times. Even now he stood a short distance off with his head buried in a handheld game.

"That was you. You were complaining that she'd been turning you down for practice the last three weeks." Kenma hadn't peered up from his game. His fingers danced over the control pad faster than he could watch. Oikawa didn't miss the time frame. That was roughly around the time they'd started talking. Had she distanced herself from Kuro in that period to allow their relationship a chance to grow? He felt cautiously hopeful.

"Yeah, he's right!" The other male, one he hadn't seen before but wore the Nekoma jersey, piped up excitedly. "You were the one who made the most noise about it, senpai!"

If Kuro was capable of flushing, he probably would have. Instead the dark haired male gave a confident laugh.

"That just goes to show you!" He splayed his arms widely through the air, "You all were whining too. I don't want to hear it. You," He pointed towards the taller man. "Especially. Seriously Lev, trying to play it cool now? That's not how this works."

Kuro turned back towards him, "You're Kagome's date right? I'm Kuro Testurou. These idiots are a couple of teammates of mine from high school."

Oikawa nodded once, "I remember. We met before." His tone had come out far more terse than he intended. He cringed inwardly at the implication. He needed to do damage control, _now_.

Her friend didn't seem all that put off by his aggressiveness. The other man grinned widely at his sour expression.

"Oh right, you went up against Karasuno. Tough competition, huh?" Kuro casually slug a bat over his shoulders. A piercing look glinted in his eyes. There was more going on here than just a simple talk. Kenma gave a low sigh as Lev suddenly became more interested in their conversation. Oikawa knew that this was more than just a 'meeting of friends'. _It was a test_. His fists clenched at his sides.

The setter plastered on a wide smile, "Yeah, looks like they gave you guys some trouble too. I hope Tobio-chan wasn't too much of a handful."

Kuro nodded to himself, "Right, you two went to middle school together. Well he's definitely grown into his own. He might even surpass your skills soon."

_Definitely a test._

"Hey it looks like the others are here." Kagome gestured towards a group of five that'd just entered the field. The new group was easily comprised of four guys he didn't know and her roommate, Sango. Oikawa's brows twitched. He was starting to see a pattern here and he wasn't sure if he liked its connotation.

They only spent a short time with introductions. He learned quickly that the others that joined them were Inuyasha, Miroku, Kouga and Bankotsu. All of which had known Kagome since her middle school days. He strangely felt like a fish out of water. He'd always been good in social situations but Kuro's goading had thrown him off his game. His eyes narrowed. He was standing entirely _too_ close to her for comfort. He didn't like it.

Fortunately the two groups were forced to part soon. Her friend took a spot by him in the outfield. They set up their formations quickly. He'd played baseball a bit before but it'd only been a short time during school practices. Kuro fell into a comfortable stance next to him. His eyes darted towards the lanky male.

He had one hand in his mitt while his eyes were focused on Kagome. She'd taken position at the pitcher's mound. She drew her arm back and allowed the ball to fly from her palm. Her movements were so fluid that it took the setter by surprise.

Inuyasha thrust the bat forward, connecting with her toss and sending it up in the air. Oikawa moved into position. His eyes trained in the spiraling object. He just had to catch it and throw it to Kenma right? What was so hard about that. _Just like volleyball_.

Except a hand intercepted the ball before he could reach. With his taller structure, Kuro stood beside him, his mitt held above his head and the ball securely inside of it.

When did he…?

Oikawa hadn't the chance to think it over. Inuyasha had dove to the next base safely, securing the next batter's position on the field.

"Good job Kuro!" Kagome called out from across the field.

Said man grinned widely in response, "Always here to help!" He looked at him, the grin shifting into a smug smirk. _That was on purpose_!

Oikawa's gut suddenly twisted inside of him. So that was it. This was never meant to be a game. _It was a hazing_. But did Kagome know?

He glanced towards her. Azure eyes were trained on Sango's posture the second she stepped up to the base. She hadn't seen it. The setter wasn't sure if that was supposed to make him feel better or throw him off completely.

"Careful now," Kuro dropped his voice. "Otherwise someone will snatch it right out from over you."

Ice filled his stomach. It wasn't the ball he was talking about either. Both men found themselves observing Kagome's next pitch. It landed squarely in Lev's hand; forcing a strike on the other group.

Admittedly, Oikawa knew that he was childish by nature. He'd always had a possessive streak in him when it came to women. He was fully capable of playing it cool. He was also competitive by nature. This was just one more obstacle to overcome. Determination filled him.

_He wouldn't lose_.

Eyes narrowed, Oikawa watched for the next drop. The bat struck and the ball curved through the air in a small arc. He dove after it as fast as his feet could carry him. Kuro might've had the height advantage but he had both speed and power. This was his!

The setter's mitt grew heavy with the weight of the ball. Without thinking he tossed it to Kenma. The quiet teen gently slapped his own mitt against Inuyasha's leg the second before he slid onto the base.

"Nice going, Oikawa-kun!" His date cheered happily from her mound. "You're out Inuyasha!"

He didn't pay attention to the stranger's grumbling or the rotation of the players. The only thing his eyes focused on was Kuro's wide smile. An air of confidence poured from the previous Nekoma Captain. Even though he'd just evened the score he hadn't felt like he'd won against him. Frustration welled in his chest.

_He couldn't lose_.

The game went by pretty quickly. Kagome was an active player. Not only was she nimble but she had a great swinging arm. They only played three short innings but it'd been enough to get a feel for her group of friends.

Inuyasha liked to egg her on and they jostled around each other like squabbling siblings. Kouga was always swift to come to her defense. Whereas Sango, Miroku and Bankotsu would simply watch the idiocy from afar. He would've joined in on the fun but his gaze swiveled yet again to Kuro.

It were as if a competition had built up between them. They'd only played against each other once in his second year, but it'd been a difficult match then and it was going to be an even more difficult match now.

"What's the matter, can't take the heat?" The other male teased. He slung his bat over his shoulders comfortably. A deep seeded anger filled him.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Oikawa shot back. "What about you? Losing steam after your string of losses?" Okay so maybe he was pushing the limit too far. The guy was _just_ Kagome's friend. Like most guys he probably wanted to test him to make sure he was up to his standards. Unfortunately the slight teasing had hit on a soft spot for him.

He hated losing.

No matter what he couldn't stand the thought of it. Not in volleyball, baseball or in dating. The moment Kuro swiped the ball from him, he knew that any chance of a normal friendship with him was shot.

Kuro smirked, "That's too bad. The game is over now." He tilted his head towards the other group offering their brief goodbyes to Kagome. "You better go catch up with her. She'll start to wonder."

"I was already on my way." He hadn't been but they both knew that. The had spent the last half of the game scoring as many points as they could. It'd become a challenge keeping up with her friend's stamina but he'd done it.

"Oikawa-kun!" His date waved him over with a bright smile and open hand. He slipped his fingers through hers gently, taking pleasure in the warmth they provided. "We should probably head back soon. Is that alright with you?"

The setter's shoulders relaxed the moment he felt a reassuring hand on his bicep. He couldn't let her see him acting like this. She likely wouldn't appreciate the idea of him egging a close friend of hers into a fight. Competition or not, his budding relationship with her came first.

"Fine by me. I'll walk you back." He smiled warmly at the young woman beside him. How did she always manage to charm him? Her eyes flash brightly in excitement as she nodded vigorously. It was adorably cute.

"Thanks! I'll just grab my things then we'll head out." Her hand fell away from his reluctantly. Oikawa watched as she bounced off to the other side of the field where they'd stored some of their belongings. His expression stiffened the moment Kuro stepped up to her. He couldn't hear what was being said but she threw a similarly bright smile at _him_. The feeling of ice freezing his insides returned. Was this really jealousy? It felt more petty than that.

"You shouldn't let him get to you so much." Kenma's voice spoke up from behind him.

He looked at him curiously in response.

"Kuro likes to troll. If he thinks he can get under your skin then he will." The boy was still buried head first into his handheld game. He hardly looked at him when he gestured towards the two. "He likes pissing off the boyfriends she brings around. It's something that he's done since they broke up a couple of years ago."

Oikawa's mind came to a screeching halt, "What?"

"They dated for a short while in their second year. It didn't last long and they've remained friends since." Kenma lowered his game just long enough to pin him with a piercing stare. "If Kuro was going to go after her again he would've already done so. They just work better as friends." He then resumed his gaming causally. "At least that's what he says."

The setter's mind worked into overdrive. Kuro wasn't just her friend.

_He was her ex boyfriend._

The young man glanced back to the pair. The man smiled widely, wrapping his arm over the small of her back and encouraging her to walk back to him.

In that moment there was only one word stuck in his mind.

"Fuck."


	8. Intervention

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Suggested Listening_ : Time Machine by Ingrid Michaelson

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part VIII** : Intervention

The week had come and gone far more quickly than he'd anticipated. Oikawa waited patiently at the train station. Iwaizumi had promised to meet up with him today, therefore he'd put off seeing Kagome in favor of greeting his friend. He quickly shoved the thought away. He'd deal with that issue soon. Right now he just needed to focus on finding his childhood friend. It hadn't taken long before he found him standing on the platform, bag slung over his shoulder and a dark expression scrawled across his face.

"Want to play some volleyball?" Oikawa offered pleasantly.

"As if we'd do anything else." He shot back, following him out of the station. They made their way to a small court at the back of the campus. It wasn't used all that often and therefore was the perfect spot for him to spill his guts. So that's what he did.

Iwaizumi scowled. From the looks of things, he was _pissed_.

"So let me get this straight," His friend began in a dangerously low tone. Oikawa cringed at the threat that lurked in the edge of his voice. "You went out on two dates with this girl." The setter nodded once in confirmation. "She introduced you to her friends." He nodded again. Was it just him or was Iwaizumi getting angrier by the second? "Now you're jealous because one of those friends is her ex?" He nodded for the third time.

The young man sucked a long breath through his lips before releasing it in a loud roar, "Are you stupid!?"

Oikawa cringed. He knew it. Iwaizumi was absolutely _furious_ with him.

"Of course, she's got an ex. Are you that idiotic or are you petty enough to believe that she should have a messy break up with every guy she's ever dated?" His friend pointed towards him accusingly. "I came down here today because I thought you were finally starting to shape up a bit. Guess I have to knock some sense into you again."

"You're cruel Iwa-chan! I'm facing a dilemma and _this_ is how you treat me?!" He casually upped his flair for the dramatic. It always worked to drive his friend crazy. Right now, he certainly needed the distraction that running from a seething Iwaizumi could give. At the very least it'd keep his mind off of Kuro's relationship with Kagome. His expression soured. That didn't sound good. Not at all.

"Damn straight this is how I'm going to treat you!" He threw the volleyball at his face. Oikawa shifted position. He stuck out his arms and received the hit with his forearms as best as he could. The ball went up and back towards Iwaizumi.

"It's been a week since the game, right?" It was a pointed question and he knew the answers he was about to give would only make him angrier.

The setter nodded.

"Have you talked to her since then? Even on the phone?" It was a valid question.

"Yeah, I did a bit." He looked to the ground, his lips pulled into a thin line. It was true. He'd talked to her, but their conversations were a lot more forced than they had been.

"And did you _tell_ her that you were uncomfortable with her ex being so friendly with her?" There was a sharp click of the tongue at the subtle accusation. It sounded so _petty_ coming from Iwaizumi. Truthfully it probably was childish of him to be so upset at her having a friendly relationship with her ex. Kuro was a bit of a shit starter, but he didn't seem _bad_ per say. It was official. He had no damn clue how to go about handling his jealousy. It was entirely new territory for him when it came to women.

"…No." Oikawa answered despondently. The ball came back to him and he barely struck at it—sending it falling listlessly to the ground.

"Then how is she supposed to know that you're uncomfortable with it?" Iwaizumi snorted through his nose. "Knowing girls, she probably thinks she did something to upset you. You're not really talking to her much after all."

The setter froze. That was true, wasn't it? She had seemed more subdued than usual. Had he screwed up that bad? What if she thought he were trying to break up with her? He paused, but were they even officially together? They went out on a couple of dates but they hadn't actively _said_ anything about going steady. When had dating become this hard!?

"I know how you get Asskawa," He resorted to his less than affectionate nickname for him. "You act pretty childish when you don't get what you want. You're even more of a pain in the ass if there's something stopping you."

He didn't have the heart to argue with his friend on that point either.

_He was right_.

"If you want to fix this shit then you're going to have to make a compromise with each other." They shifted positions. Oikawa leapt into the air, tossing the ball for his friend like he'd done so many times before.

Iwaizumi's palm slapped against the object, sending it flying over the net. There was a certain thrill he felt practicing with him that he hadn't in a while. Perhaps it was because of their long-standing bond with one another.

"I guarantee you that Kuro isn't the only ex she's got." He swung at another ball he'd set for him. "From what you've told me she's pretty easy going. The type that gets along with everybody. Stands to reason that she'd prefer to keep in contact with people she likes." Iwaizumi shot him a meaningful look.

"So let me rephrase things this way," He hit another spike over the net. "How many of _your_ ex-girlfriends are you still talking to."

"It's not the same!" The setter tried to argue. At least it didn't _feel_ the same for him. "I don't hang out with them! We just text, that's it!"

That time a ball spiked right into the side of his head. Oikawa clapped his hand to the injury. Damn it, he never got used to that.

"Dumbass!" Iwaizumi snapped. He pointed a long index finger in his direction, "It _is_ the same. You talk to your ex-girlfriends and she hangs out with her ex boyfriends. If shit was going to happen then it would've already."

Oikawa didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to see the reality in what his friend was telling him. He was being an idiot, but that still didn't settle the uneasy feeling in his stomach. It wasn't so much that she was _friends_ with Kuro. In fact, he'd dated girls before whom been friendly with their past boyfriends. It hadn't bothered him much then. So why now? Why was this such a huge issue? He couldn't figure it out.

"I didn't want to do this." Iwaizumi sighed. He plucked the volleyball from the ground and cradled it under his arm. "But I need to meet this girl. The only way you're going to pull your head out of your ass is if you accept that she's not _yours_." The notion struck a chord with him. "I get it. You feel like the guy is competition, but how would _she_ feel about that? Do you really think she'd be alright with the guy she's dating and her best friend going at each other's throats?"

Why was Iwaizumi always correct? He didn't want to admit it but that was _exactly_ what was happening.

"Where is she at now?" The inquiry was direct, just like everything else about his childhood friend. A foreboding feeling sunk into his stomach. This could _not_ end well.

"Why do you ask?" The setter deflected.

Without warning the other male struck out his palm, "Either you tell me or I'll go through every last message on your phone. I _will_ get my answers one way or another Trashykawa."

Oikawa sighed heavily, "Here. Don't do anything weird, alright?" He was in deep shit. He knew he was. Earlier that day Kagome had texted him to see if he'd be willing to join up with her again. Apparently her group of friends always had an activity planned around midday every Saturday. He'd shot her down with the excuse of meeting his own friend. She naturally didn't push him into doing anything he didn't want to. Still, a feeling of guilt gnawed at him. Her disappointment had been palpable. Had he really just blown this whole thing out of proportion? He was starting to feel like a serious idiot.

Iwaizumi was silent for a long moment. His brows furrowed into a deep line. Then, just when he thought that the male was going to snap, he started to type a message on his phone.

"What are you doing!?" Oikawa shot forward. He stretched his fingers out attempting to grasp the device from his friend.

"I'm doing you a favor. Now say thank you, you're the best." Iwaizumi used his taller stature to raise the phone above his head, still typing the message on the screen.

"You don't even know _how_ to text! She'll see right through you!" He took another swipe only to be met by open air. He'd forgotten how fast Iwaizumi was.

"I know _you_ well enough and after reading these messages I know how you text." He sent the message before handing it back to him. "By the way, why do you use emojis with stars? What are you, a pre-teen girl?"

"Oh shut up! I was trying to be cute! She liked them so what's there to say about it!" So maybe he was being just a _tad_ bit defensive. He pulled up the thread and read the sent message with a dawning horror.

_Just picked up my friend. Mind if we meet up with you guys?_

What had he just done? Before he could make a different response, another text came through.

_Sure! The more the merrier! Look forward to seeing you then!_

"You're welcome. This way you get to see her and I can watch you flounder about from the sidelines." A small, victorious smirk pulled at Iwaizumi's lips. "Did I mention that I mostly did this so you can talk to her? The rest of it is just the added benefit."

"You…" Oikawa stuttered, "You're _evil_ Iwa-chan!" He pointed a finger at the other male. "You _know_ that her ex is going to be there too, right!? How can I talk to her with him standing right there!"

Iwaizumi shrugged nonchalantly, "Then think about this as an exercise on how to control your temper. Get along with the guy for once. Make him your ally rather than your enemy. Is it really that hard?"

It was a valid point but he still didn't want to do it.

"I hate you."

"Welcome to my life." Iwaizumi shot back. The taller male slapped him on the shoulder before giving him a rough shove. "Now move your ass. We've got a relationship to fix."

With that, Oikawa knew that he was marching into his doom.


	9. Irrational

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Suggested Listening:_ Super Psycho Love by Simon Curtis

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part IX** : Irrational

Oikawa could feel all sets of eyes upon him. Why had he come again? Iwaizumi pushed at his shoulders roughly.

"Sorry for dropping in on you unannounced," His friend waved at the group warmly. "This idiot wouldn't shut up and I got curious." The setter stumbled into Kagome's shared dorm.

As expected both groups from before were gathered along the couches and bar stools. A few of the guys stood in a circle off to the side. One of which was her ex. He hadn't the chance to scowl.

"It's fine, come on in!" The young woman greeted them enthusiastically. As upset as he was about Kuro's close relationship to her, he couldn't take his eyes off the bright smile painted across her lips. For an insane second, he wanted to kiss her. All of her friends were there including her ex. The setter was fully aware of the fact that they weren't quite 'official'. In fact they hardly knew each other at all. So why did it bother him so much that she was friendly with an old boyfriend?

It wasn't as if she was still seeing the other guy. She'd given him her phone on multiple occasions so that they could share photos. He'd accidentally seen a few texts between them before and it was mostly innocuous and a tad bit teasing. Nothing too upsetting. So why did he feel so displaced?

Her fingers touched at his palm, a silent signal that she wished to take his hand. All his previous thoughts left his mind. He loosened his fist and allowed her to intertwine their fingers intimately. The warmth of her hand created a soothing effect on his nerves. How strange that such a simple touch could have such a strong effect.

Kagome leaned in closer to him, "Thanks for coming. I know that you probably wanted to spend some personal time with your friend." Her voice was soft; full of concern for having cut into his plans. A twist of guilt briefly wrenched within his stomach. "If you get uncomfortable just let me know. I'm sorry if it was a bit overwhelming last weekend. It's still early for us, so I understand." She was trying to compromise with him. However in the process she'd misunderstood what had made him upset in the first place.

Iwaizumi was right. His communication skills utterly _sucked_.

"Don't worry about that idiot. He bounces back quickly when the attention is on him." His friend added helpfully. "He's the type who needs his ego reassured at every second. You get used to it after a while."

A bright flush went across Oikawa's face, "Iwa-chan! You make me sound like a total jerk!"

"Because you are." The words cut a wound straight to his heart.

"So cruel!"

The group laughed collectively at his expense. Kagome's grip over his hand squeezed just a bit tighter. The flush returned in full force. Did she really think that he was shy around crowds though? He'd have to talk to her privately after this get together. They had a few things to sort out anyways.

"So," Sango drawled from her perch on the couch's arm rest. "How'd you two meet? I don't think you ever told us."

That time it was Kagome's turn to blush. His eyes fell to her mouth for the second time that afternoon. Why was it so damn hard for him to focus?

"We met at the coffee shop a few weeks ago. There was only one outlet open so we ended up sharing." There was a nervous hitch in her laugh.

"So you gave him your number?" Her roommate needled again. "You've never been the type to give it out freely."

Oh? This was news to him. He wanted to hear more about this.

"She's right. Took me three months of trying before she finally gave it to me and we were in the same classes." Kuro joined in the laughter. "Only managed to convince her because we were assigned a group project."

Oikawa fought the urge to scowl.

_This was not the time._

He tried to repeat that mantra in his head over and over again. He couldn't pick a fight. Still, he didn't like the idea of their history together. A part him just wanted to pretend it didn't exist at all. Iwaizumi threw a knowing glance in his direction.

"That's because you kept putting out those 'Bad boy' vibes that parents warn about." His date stuck her tongue out at the other male playfully. "My father warned me about those types so I was cautious."

Kuro gave a full throated laugh, "Bad? I wasn't _that_ horrible. Besides your dad only likes one person. He's got an axe to grind if anyone else steps in the way." Was it just him or did that guy just give him a pointed look? The hair on the back of his neck bristled.

"Oh please, you tried introducing yourself by just saying 'yo' and expected that to work." Her brows furrowed at him, "Honestly Kuro, you gave a bad first impression."

The male shrugged easily, "What can I say? That's just my charm."

Oikawa decided that he did _not_ like the subtle insinuation of their closeness in his tone. The setter couldn't have kept the frown from forming even if he'd tried. This guy pissed him off.

He hadn't been able to put his finger on why exactly. The notion of him having dated Kagome still churned his stomach. He got irrationally stupid when it came to anything regarding her. They'd only known each other for the better half of a month. He had absolutely no business getting angry over her current friendships. Still, his eyes slid over to Nekoma's previous captain, why did it infuriate him so much? He tried to reign in his temper before it got out of hand.

Kuro appeared to take note of his shift in behavior. The young man's expression grew serious for just a moment. The locked eyes with one another. In that second he seared the male with all of his frustration in a single look. He felt so damn _petty_.

Sango also appeared to have picked up on the tension. She waved Kagome over to her, providing ample opportunity to separate her from his side. The young woman gave his hand a gentle but reassuring squeeze before her fingers dropped away. He fought the urge to reach for her. Even by his own standards he was getting too clingy.

"Oikawa, right?" Kuro casually approached him. His back went rigid. He really did _not_ want to deal with this guy right now. He could already feel his temper rising. Iwaizumi stood off to the side, casually observing their interaction for any sign of his interference being needed. As expected his friend had picked up on the rising tension.

"Yeah?" His voice was more terse than intended.

The other male quirked a brow at the display. However he blinked and a smile crossed his lips again.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot the other day." He gestured towards the door. "What do you say we go outside and clear things up a bit?"

Oikawa glanced at Kuro cautiously. Was this guy serious? He looked towards Iwaizumi for his input. He wanted to shut him down but he knew that he couldn't without risking Kagome becoming upset at him. His friend lifted his hand and gave a silent shooing motion. He scowled. Great, now there was no getting out of it.

Reluctantly the setter followed Kuro out into the hallway. It was sparsely populated due to the weekend. Most students either went out of town or visited their families on their off days like this. So the were virtually alone. Oikawa tucked his hands into his pockets as a precautionary measure.

"Look, I get that you might be uncomfortable." The other male began. He rubbed his palm on the back of his head awkwardly. "But I want you to know that I'll respect you as the person Kagome's dating. There's no reason for us to be getting into fights." His eyes sharpened. "I've been around her long enough to know. You're not the first guy to come around since we broke up." Somehow that just made the ice in his gut become a few degrees colder.

"We can either make this work or you can walk." There was a sharpness in Kuro's expression that seemed to cut like the edge of a blade. "I'm not going anywhere and I don't intend to get in the way."

Oikawa's hair shadowed out his eyes from view. Step out of the way? The image of her smile and the warmth of her hand surfaced in his mind.

_No way_.

He couldn't step away. But could he accept Kuro as apart of her life as well? After all, he'd known her far longer. She _trusted_ him. His fists clenched from within his pockets. That left a sour taste at the back of his throat.

Iwaizumi was right. Kagome _wasn't_ his. They weren't official yet. They'd only gone in a couple of dates. His teeth gnashed together. Could he accept it? Could he accept _him_? The setter took a few steps forward. Irrational anger fueled him. He knew this to be jealousy. He knew that what he was about to do was utterly _wrong_ , but his mind kept replaying that smile over and over again.

He'd been so _convinced_ that she was taken. The moment that he found out that she was single he couldn't help himself.

_He wanted her._

More than that, he suspected that there was likely to be fierce competition hiding just under his nose. Now here it was. Standing right in front of him and telling him to _step away_. A fuse went off inside of him somewhere.

Oikawa lifted his gaze to meet Kuro's fiercely. He wouldn't back down. He wouldn't accept him. Consequences be damned, he had a point to make.

The setter opened his mouth and said the only thing his irrational mind could conjure. It was crass. It was rude. It was unacceptable but he did it anyways. His ability to think straight was long gone. The only thing he could see was his competition standing in front of him. So he reacted the only way he could think of: Aggressively.

"Go fuck yourself."


	10. Idiot

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Suggested Listening_ : Papercut by Zedd (Feat. Troye Sivan)

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part X** : Idiot

Something hit him before he could register what it was. A fierce throb burned at the side of his face. Did Kuro just punch him? Already he could feel the flesh start to swell. That'll be bruised by tomorrow morning.

Oikawa snapped to attention. Before he could retaliate, Kuro had grabbed the collar of his shirt and pushed him hard against the wall.

A ferocity burned in the other male's eyes. Silent rage bubbled beneath the posturing.

"You son of a.." He tried to start but the setter cut him off.

"It's funny. You say that you two broke up some time ago. But," He slapped his hand from his shirt roughly. "From where I'm standing it looks like you're still into her." His tone became sharper. Morphing into something he wasn't accustomed to hearing from himself.

He still stood by his accusation. It hadn't taken a genius to figure that out. During that short game last weekend he'd noticed how much Kuro's eyes had followed Kagome. It was in the softness of his voice and that singular moment when he'd touched her. Even if she no longer had feelings for him, the truth of their relationship was clear as day to him.

_This guy was still a threat._

Rage burned within Oikawa's veins. He decided to push his limit further.

"Why's that? Your candle still burning even after she dumped you?" He was crossing so many lines right now that he honestly couldn't count them all. He knew that he was fucking up. It'd be a wild guess as to whether Kagome would even _want_ to speak to him after this.

There was a long moment of silence. Fury burned in the other male's eyes, the likes of which he'd never seen before. Apparently he'd struck a chord. His mind warned him to stop but his mouth refused to listen.

"I can see why she wasn't interested." The pit in his stomach coiled tightly. Why couldn't he stop? "Not much to you, is there?" He was fucked. He couldn't just keep his damn mouth closed for _five minutes._ He could've just played nice for a few minutes. That way this whole thing would've blown over. Iwaizumi was going to be furious with him. At this point, he knew that his friend and Kagome both had every right to be.

The next second Oikawa found the air knocked out of him. He couldn't react fast enough to the attack. The ceiling lights blared down on him from above. When had he gotten knocked down?

The setter didn't give himself time to think. Instead he locked his arms around Kuro's neck and pulled him into a hold from his vulnerable position. It was the only good martial arts move he knew.

There weren't any words spoken. Only the faint recognition of yelling nonsensical noises of fury. Oikawa grunted as the other male's fist came down on his stomach. He tried to hold on but by the second strike his arms loosened just enough for his captive to slip out.

Kuro stood above him. The setter tried to stumble to his feet. Before he could even find his balance, he was thrown against the wall.

"Say it again." The previous captain of Nekoma demanded suddenly. The grip over his shirt tightened; pushing against his collar bone painfully. Oikawa clenched his teeth together. He fucked up.

"What are you waiting for?" Kuro's voice was strong but cold. Vastly different from the snarky attitude he usually wore. "Go ahead. Say it again."

He didn't. What was there _to_ say? He insulted _and_ picked a literal fight with his date's friend. He wasn't going to win in this situation. He _royally_ fucked up. The real question was if his silence could salvage what little remained. He turned his head to the side.

The door to Kagome's dorm swung open. Iwaizumi was the first into the hallway. His friend's eyes surveyed his swelling bruise and Kuro's set expression.

"Couldn't help yourself, could you dumbass?" The young man stepped between them. He offered his previous opponent an apologetic bow. "You have to forgive this idiot. He's impulsive to a 'T' and lacks any sort of tact to buffer his idiocy." Iwaizumi roughly slammed his fist into the back of his head. He didn't bother to complain.

"I'll take him back. Would you mind giving Higurashi our regards?" His friends jabbed a thumb in his direction. "I'll straighten this idiot out."

Iwaizumi swiftly grabbed him by the ear and gave a harsh tug, "Let's go Asskawa." They started the trek back to his dorm, Kuro watching their not so subtle stoically from afar. The man's posture was still stiff; as if he were acting as a brace between himself and Kagome, whom had come out of her doorway partially to see what happened. His eyes couldn't turn away. His feet carried him further down the hall as he spied her palm coming to rest upon Kuro's bicep in a comforting manner.

_He was jealous_.

It was his major vice in life. He had been jealous of Kageyama back at Kitagawa. Now, he was jealous of the foundation Kuro had with Kagome. He turned his head towards the ground. How could he possibly fix this?

"I told you to make nice with the guy. What'd you do, rub salt in an old wound?" Iwaizumi snorted beside him.

"Yeah, pretty much." Oikawa didn't deny it. What would be the point in that? For now, he could only hope that he hadn't ruined whatever chances he had going for himself.

The hours passed quickly. However each second that ticked by his mind replayed the scenario. Kagome was friends with Kuro. Whereas Kuro was still in love with Kagome. And he'd just had an all out brawl with the guy in the hallway of her dorm. He could have only guessed all the things the he could have said to her in the mean time about their fight.

Iwaizumi left shortly after they'd returned to his place, offering one last Punch to the arm for his idiocy. He was screwed and they both knew it.

So the second he heard Kagome's familiar ring tone, he jumped in surprise. Could it be? Was she calling for an explanation? Was she angry?

Nervousness coiled in his stomach. Taking a deep breath, he answered the phone.

"Oikawa-kun," Her voice was just as soft as it normally was. He tried to reign in his thoughts before they ventured too far. Now was _definitely not_ the time. "Listen, I just talked to Kuro but he hadn't said much about what happened." There was a slight pause. "Did you two get into a fight?"

Oikawa pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Better to be honest then walk himself into hot water with a lie.

"I was an idiot." He didn't mince his words either. "I egged him on when I shouldn't have. Sorry." His voice sounded weak even to himself. He heard her sigh in defeat. He was royally fucked, wasn't he?

"I thought so. Look I'm not going to get involved here. Whatever happened between the two of you should be sorted out by both of you." That declaration came as a slight shock to his system. So she _wasn't_ absolutely furious with him? It was official. This girl was a saint.

"I can't say that I didn't see something like this coming." She seemed a bit resigned and that notion tore at him more than he cared to admit to. "I'm sorry that I wasn't more clear about my history with Kuro. I originally just wanted you two to meet so you wouldn't have felt threatened by him. I guess that method backfired."

She was blaming herself. Worse yet, for his own screw up. If he'd been more confident in their relationship then it wouldn't have happened in the first place. He'd gotten jealous and possessive when he shouldn't have. It was by no means her fault.

"No, that was on me. I could've talked to you about it this week but I didn't. That wasn't your fault." Oikawa tried to put her at ease. Indeed a small laugh came through the other end of the line.

"Alright, if you say so." The setter felt his shoulders relax as the tension in the conversation eased up. "Anyways, if you admit that you caused the fight then you should probably apologize to Kuro. Just give him a couple of days before you approach though. He can have a bit of a temper in these kinds of situations."

He fought the urge to make a snarky comment. He'd save that for when he _wasn't_ at risk of being put out to the dog house.

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was a slight lull in their talk; one he was unaccustomed to. It was like a void sucking the joy he'd felt previously when he'd called her. Oikawa opened his mouth to speak and apparent so did she.

"I…" They echoed at the same time.

"You first!" Kagome laughed.

"Go ahead," The young man smiled. "I like listening to you anyways." It was a small attempt at humor and it worked.

Her laughter became a bit louder, "Alright if you insist." The setter heard her shift around a bit. "For tomorrow, I'm completely free. So what do you say we meet up and talk? We should probably lay out our expectations at the very least. That way we won't have any more surprises in the future."

Oikawa sat up. Now this was a first. He'd dated seriously in high school before. He'd had to make a few compromises along the way but never had they really sat down to discus expectations. What did he want? What did _she_ want? He was suddenly nervous and eager at the same time.

"That sounds fine by me. Oh," He paused for a moment. "Now that we're on the topic, how many ex-boyfriends _do_ you have? Are you friendly with all of them? Who are they?"

"Whoa! I think that's an interrogation!" She laughed again. Internally he cringed at the pointed questioned he just threw at her in rapid fire sequence. How'd he ever get this bad at dating? "Well for starters there's officially only two that I dated seriously. You already met Kuro. The other was a neighbor and yes I'm still on good terms with both of them." Her voice shifted into a teasing note. "So try not to fight _everyone_ , okay? You two created quite the stir this afternoon."

Oikawa rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "I'll keep that in mind." Two, there were two. He still didn't know the other guy's identity but at this point it didn't matter. He sucked a breath through his lips.

"Hey Kagome," The young man tried to work up his courage. She gave a curious noise on the other end of the line. "Thanks for the invite and, well, sorry for being an idiot. It's apparently a habit of mine." He rubbed the sore spot on his cheek gingerly. "At least that's what Iwa-chan always says."

"You're welcome and don't worry. It's not the first time Kuro's gotten under someone's skin. I'm sure you two were rubbing each other backwards for a bit before the fight." That time she sighed. "Anyways let's talk about it more tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you then." With that they ended the call.

Oikawa threw himself on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling with his phone still clutched in his hands.

_He still had a chance_.

A small smile crossed his lips. Now he just had to work harder. Oh, and _not_ pick Kuro apart. That guy could _hit_ like his hands were made of cement!

He closed his eyes. He'd think of a way to properly apologize to both of them tomorrow. He was done being an irrational idiot.


	11. Expectations

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Suggested Listening_ : Call on Me by Starley

_**Touch of Blue** _

**Part XI** : Expectations

Oikawa sat stiffly in the booth. He fidgeted with his phone, checking for any missed messages. The last text had come through approximately ten minutes ago. It'd just been a quick message from Kagome stating that she was on her way to the local breakfast place. He'd rushed over and got them a table as soon as he read it. Now it was just a waiting game.

The setter twisted in his seat. His insides were still coiled tightly from the thought of this 'talk'. It'd be a first time for him and frankly he wasn't used to this sort of thing. Expectations? He didn't really have _any_ except a vague idea of what a serious girlfriend would be.

Why should he say? What _were_ his expectations? What were _hers_? He had no damn clue what he was doing.

"Oikawa-kun!" Kagome came up next to him. When had she arrived?! "Thanks for holding down the fort." She smiled warmly as she slid into the seat opposite from him.

"That's what I'm here for." At least that's what he tried to say, but judging by the quizzical look she just gave him it'd likely come out oddly.

The young woman's eyes quickly zeroed in on the darkly bruised flesh of his cheek. Her fingers gingerly lifted to brush across the injury.

"Oh man, Kuro really got you." She sighed, "You can't go fighting everyone you know." Much to his disappointment, her fingers retracted. "I'm not going to spend all morning lecturing you on how things were handled yesterday." He averted his eyes shamefully. Yeah, that was clearly a screw up. "But I already talked to Kuro and now I'm talking to you. What happens between you two is your business. I'm not going to get involved in it. However I do expect you guys to show some courtesy to each other. Understood?"

Oikawa nodded, "Yeah, I know. That was my fault to be honest." He rubbed his palm over the base of his neck nervously. Better to admit it now then to avoid the blame. "I'll handle it better next time."

A smile spread across her lips. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned her chin into her palms. How was she always so cute? He could see why Kuro was still pining after her. He shut the thought down before it could spiral out of control.

"For whatever reason I didn't take you as the type to have much of a temper," The young woman leaned her head to the side fully. "Guess I was wrong. I'll just have to be more careful of that jealous streak you've got."

He was a damned idiot. How had he gotten himself into this mess again? Oh right, he picked a fight and thoroughly got his ass handed to him. He needed a filter for his mouth. It just shot off whenever it felt like it.

"Anyways I've been doing some thinking." Kagome moved to sit up straight in their booth. The ice dropped in his stomach. Great, the part he feared the most. He inwardly prepared himself for the worst. "Let's start from the basics. We need to establish now if we want this to be casual or serious." There was a slight up quirk of her lips. "I don't normally date casually so I figured I'd put that out there."

Oh… oh! His mind clicked. Casual or serious? It really was early to decide but, would it honestly be that odd to make that choice now? He returned her smile.

"In this case I'll vote for serious." He leaned against the back of his hand. "So is that part settled?" It was an awkward attempt at a flirt but she laughed anyways.

"Yes, its settled." The waitress quickly came by to take their orders. Once finished, they returned to their conversation. "Anyways about my exes. I'm friendly with both of them. Kuro and I have known each other for some time. So I'm still going to be friends with him."

The setter tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that resurfaced. Yeah, a 'friend' that'd be willing to steal her from him at the drop of a hat. That guy was some _serious_ competition. He'd have to keep an eye out on this situation and _not_ pick a fist fight. Damn, he'd been stupid about that. His cheek felt three times bigger than it should be!

"That said I can understand your discomfort. I've talked to Kuro about it and we'll maintain appropriate boundaries." Her voice was soft and somewhat understanding. Boundaries? Now that guy would just _look_ for a reason to piss him off. Well at least Oikawa still had the girl. For the moment anyways. He was still treading on an incredibly fine line.

Kagome pressed forward, "I need you to be honest with me Oikawa-kun. If there's ever anything you don't like or are uncomfortable with then you have to tell me." Her hand reached across the table to take his tightly. That time a warmth spread through him at the contact. So simple yet so effective. Her touch seemed to always have a soothing effect to it. "I'm not a mind reader. In fact I'm fairly oblivious to those kinds of things." She gave an awkward laugh at the admittance. He shook his head. No, he just had a terrible personality just as Iwaizumi had said. "So don't be afraid to talk, okay? It may be early but that's why communication is so important." Her smile softened. "We'll work through the issues together as they arise. That sound good?"

He paused for a moment.

_Communication_.

It was his one weak point. The one thing he failed at miserably in _every_ relationship he'd ever had. He'd always gotten too involved in volleyball. He never called except on the weekends and still flirted with other fan girls as they approached him. Those relationships he'd had before ultimately failed because of his inability to communicate what his partners needed from _him_ in return. He lifted his gaze to meet Kagome's. Now here was this girl, willing to forgive him for throwing the worst kind of insult to a man who'd likely been her support pillar. He was jealous and possessive but she was willing to _work_ through that with him. In that second he knew he couldn't lose her. Not to Kuro, n to that other mysterious ex, and _definitely_ not to his own ego.

The setter lifted his hands to wrap both them around hers.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Oikawa knew from the light coloring of her cheeks that he'd done his part correctly. This would be new territory for him, but with a bit of help he was confident that he could take care of it. Their food came faster than anticipated. They'd spent much of their meal talking about the simpler things like their families and close group of friends. He'd learned that she'd come from family that lived on a shrine in Tokyo. Her family was comprised of a mother, father, grandfather and younger brother. All of them had gone to Nekoma in their youth so Kagome had done much the same, which was how she'd met Kuro.

Oikawa explained that his family was a bit more complicated. He had both his parents but his older sister had left for Osaka for a few years and came back married and pregnant. So they now lived only a few blocks away and he spent much of his weekends in High School taking his nephew out to volleyball lessons, even coaching a few of them himself.

"Your nephew sounds adorable," Kagome laughed as he regaled her with a few of his old tales. "I can definitely see you as the type to get along well with kids."

That vaguely sounded like a thinly veiled insult.

"Yeah, Iwa-chan says it's because I'm like a kid most days." He grinned widely, "The truth is that Iwa-chan is just jealous of my charm! The poor guy is blinded by the magnitude of its brightness."

She laughed a little harder, "I can see where he would come up with that." The setter's shoulders dropped. He'd just made a complete fool out of himself hadn't he? "Still I don't mind that quality about you," Her grin became miraculously brighter. "It's rather cute."

His face flushed. Him? _Cute_? Not in appearance but in attitude? He wasn't sure if he should be flattered or insulted.

"I'll ignore that comment." He pushed his plate to the side, signaling that he had finished his meal. His date made a small sound of amusement.

Oikawa stared down at his hands. She'd given him what he needed in this single conversation. It wasn't perfect but it was _enough_. So what could he do for _her_? She'd already made compromises for him and he hadn't even come close to returning the favor. His expression soured. He really was bad at this whole relationship thing, wasn't he?

Kagome looked at him curiously, obviously taking note of his displeased countenance.

What could he do?

His fingers curled into a small fist. There was only one way to find out. He met her gaze with a fierce determination.

"Kagome," Oikawa addressed her directly.

"Yes?" She cocked her head to the side. His heart warmed at the cute gesture. He was beginning to think that, that was a habit of hers.

"What…" His throat closed suddenly. The familiar grip of nervousness coiled around him tightly. The young man took a deep and calming breath. He could do this. It was just _one_ question. The cloth of his jeans wrinkled beneath his grip, "What do you need from me? In a relationship that is. I mean…" His voice trailed off. That was _super_ awkward wasn't it? He looked down at his lap. Damn it, he still wasn't good at this!

He felt the soft touch of her finger against his lips. In that second he fell into a trance. The young woman smiled warmly.

"Just be yourself." Her finger slowly dropped away.

Oikawa knew that he'd fallen quickly. He knew that he'd gotten in over his head the second his jealousy had reared its ugly head. But now, he knew he couldn't walk away.

A thoughtful look crossed her expression, "Except you probably _should_ reign in that temper of yours." Kagome laughed as she pushed her plate away. "I don't think we need another brawl in the hall moment."

He couldn't help the blush of embarrassment. He was ever going to live that down, was he?

The setter began to laugh with her, "Agreed." He reached across the table to lace their fingers together intimately. "So can I you properly this time?" She gave a brief nod, tightening her hold simultaneously.

Oikawa met her eyes. In that moment all he could feel was the warmth of her hand and the sincerity of her attempt at communicating with him. He wanted to return the favor.

"Will you officially be my girlfriend?" He grinned widely, "I'll even try my best to behave." He'd still have to make amends with Kuro for being an irrational idiot, but for now he'd start with this. He wanted to draw that distinction clearly between simple dating and going steady. It was a small step in the long run but it'd be necessary for their budding relationship to survive. This time, he would _try_.

Kagome beamed up at him, "I thought you would never ask." Her free hand cane to rest upon his bruised cheek gently. "But yes. I will be your girlfriend."


End file.
